The State Electric Union (UNE) company of Cuba foresees this Sunday simultaneous blackouts that will affect 49 % of Cuba during the highest energy demand, the one in the afternoon-night, due to the energy crisis that crosses the Caribbean island.
Since the middle of last year the complex energy situation has been aggravated and reflected in frequent blackouts that exceed 20 hours a day in many locations in the country. In recent months there have been four national blackouts.
The Cuban government points out that the main causes of the crisis are breakdowns in thermal plants (with many accumulated exploitation years), as well as the lack of fuel and currency to import it.
The UNE, attached to the Ministry of Energy and Mines, referred in its daily part that this Saturday the service was affected 24 hours and thus remained during the last morning.
According to its calculations, for the “peak” schedule of this day there will be a maximum electricity generation capacity of 2 095 megawatts (MW) for a demand of 3,700 MW.
Water supply in Cuba between drought, blackouts and fuel shortage
This involves a deficit (the difference between supply and demand) of 1 605 MW and an affectation (which is really disconnected to avoid disorderly blackouts) of 1 675 MW. It is common for real values to exceed the official prognosis.
Currently, 87 distributed generation centrals (engines) are out of service (engines) plus five engines of a floating plant due to lack of fuel (diesel and fuel), according to the new company report.
Cuban thermoelectric plants are mostly obsolete, after decades of exploitation and a chronic investment and maintenance deficit; while engines are out of service due to lack of fuel.
Independent experts point out that the energy crisis responds to a chronic infinance of this sector, completely in the hands of the Cuban state since the triumph of the revolution in 1959. The Cuban government highlights the impact of US sanctions on this sector.
Various independent calculations estimate that the government would need between 8,000 and 10 billion dollars to refloat the electricity grid.
Courts also struck social discontent and have been linked in recent years to the main protests that have been registered in the country, such as those of July 2021.
